Retinoids are essential for maintenance of normal growth, development, immunity, reproduction, vision and other physiological processes. Conversely, abnormal production or processing of retinoids correlates with the manifestation of disease processes, including macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration is a group of eye diseases that is the leading cause of blindness for those aged 55 and older in the United States, affecting more than 10 million Americans. Some studies predict a six-fold increase in the number of new macular degeneration over the next decade, taking on the characteristics of an epidemic. Age-related macular degeneration or dystrophy, a particularly debilitating disease, leads to gradual loss of vision and eventually severe damage to the central vision.
To date, there is no effective cure for macular degeneration. Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide for assays that screen for therapeutic compositions to treat these diseases.